Bow Sight Battle: Comparing Two of 2024's Best

Bow sights have come a long way, but none further than this dynamic duo. Spot-Hogg's Boonie and UltraView's UV Slider heed the rugged, accurate, dependable call.

The advancement in archery accessories over the past decade has been spectacular. Shooting a stick-and-string and being consistently accurate is all about your confidence. When you have a top-tier bow in your hand outfitted with the best accessories, your confidence grows, and carbon finds the 10-ring.

Each year, specific accessory product categories shine more than others. In this bowhunter's opinion, 2024 was the year of the bow sight.

Fortunately, what I've dubbed the best two bow sights of 2024 — Spot Hogg's Boonie and UltraView's UV Slider w/UV3XL SE scope — found their way onto the riser of my Hoyt bows recently.

If you're hoping the remainder of this article will tell you which bow sight won a head-to-head comparison, you'll be disappointed. Branding a winner is impossible; depending on your needs and wants, one may stand out to you more than another.

Spoiler Alert: I will tell you that these two bow sights are, without question, the two best sights I've ever tested in 25 years.

Let's jump in and find out what sight is right for you.

Spot-Hogg Boonie

For the past 10 years, the only sight on my riser when I hit the hunting woods has been a Spot-Hogg. These sights have filled my freezer and walls, from the Hogg Father to the Hog It to the Fast Eddie. I never experienced a mechanical failure or an issue with a Spot-Hogg sight.

Still, in 2024, Spot-Hogg once again upped its game and offered bowhunters more customization, increased accuracy, and improved sight functionality.

Enter the Boonie.

You can find a Boonie in Dovetail, Picatinny, and Hard Mount options to fit your mounting needs. One of my 2024 compounds is Hoyt's Carbon RX-8, and over the past few years, I've grown to love Hoyt's Inline Picatinny Rail mounting option. For this reason, I opted for the Boonie PM (Pic-Mount). Not only is the PM's lockdown absolute via a bracket with a single screw, it also reduces weight and improves overall bow balance.

The Triple Stack housing was jumping at me from the get-go. Of course, you can customize your Boonie housing however you want, but I love a trio of inline vertical pins that reduce clutter.

It was clear that Spot-Hogg was able to shave weight with this sight. It's lighter than my Fast Eddit PM. I was also thrilled to see a longer, more streamlined micro-adjust windage bar with laser-engraved marks and an improved and labeled (Right/Left) windage knob. Opening the windage locking lever, which is also slimmer and more streamlined, each Right/Left adjustment produces an audible click, which I appreciate. The windage/sight-attachment bracket can be removed and flipped for unlimited Left/Right movement.

Another quick must-know feature is that the sight has a pair of second-axis settings to ensure ultra-accurate flat-ground shooting. One second-axis setting is where the PM attaches to the bow, and the other is where the sight mount block attaches to the slider rail. Of course, a sight of this caliber and price point features third-axis adjustability. I recommend a plumb bob for setting the third axis or purchasing Hamskea's Third Axis Level.

The big to-do with the Boonie and the buzz at bow shops nationwide is the new-for-2024 sight yardage wheel. Gone is the bulky yardage wheel locking lever under the sight. In is the labeled Lock/Unlock knob located in the center of the yardage wheel.

The yardage wheel is also, via a pair of set screws, removable, which makes sight tape addition much easier, and means an archer/bowhunter can set up multiple yardage wheels for different finished arrow weights.

How It Performed

I've run over 300 arrows through my bow with the Boonie attached. The setup process is a breeze, and the new sight functions reduce sight-in time.

First, I mounted my bow in my bow press and flipped the press vertically. Next, I attached a string level to ensure the bow was level in the press. Then, I used a small level to ensure the sight was level on the bow.

After using a plumb door jam to check my second axis and making a slight adjustment via the small set screw located in the bracket that mounts the sight to the rack-and-pinion rail, my second axis was perfect.

Moving my large Block target to 20 yards, I dialed in my top pin. With my Easton Axis 4MM Long Range arrows smashing golf tees at 20 yards, I removed the pair of set screws in the yardage wheel and added Spot-Hogg's test tape.

What a joy it is to be able to remove the yardage wheel. You no longer have to fight tight space and try to get a sticky sight tape under multiple yardage pointers, which is fantastic.

Spot-Hogg's sight-in system requires dialing in at 20 and 60 yards. Take your time with this process. Typically, I shoot 20 and 60 yards for several days to confirm before choosing my tape. Try to rush this process, and you'll get frustrated no matter what sight you're using.

After repeatedly confirming my 20- and 60-yard marks, I opted for Spot-Hogg's number 21 sight tape. I set up a separate Boonie wheel with my heavier 4MM Axis FMJs for grins. Swapping wheels in and out is a breeze, and during testing, I found all adjustments (windage and elevation) are smooth and quiet, and with this sight, there is no slop.

With my sight tape on and ready, I drove tacks in dots on foam, bag targets, and 3-D targets between 20 yards and 120 yards. The .019-inch pins are bright, and as is the case with multiple other Spot-Hogg sights, the Boonie comes with several MRT rings for further customization. Spot-Hogg built you a banger of a bow sight for 2024, and I will be putting my trust in it in the coming months.

UltraView UV Slider w/UV3XL SE

Though I test many bow sights each year, for the past 10, as mentioned earlier, only Spot-Hoggs have earned their way onto my risers.

However, after spending an entire week testing and tinkering with UltraView's UV Slider w/UV3XL SE, my Hoyt Alpha X 33 will harbor this sight in 2024.

One of the sleekest and most sexy-looking sights I've tested, UltraView's shiny new penny is much more than a great-looking sight, though; a lot more.

The padded sight case zips open, and inside are two pieces: the Rack & Rail and Scope & DualDial Assembly. Mounting the Scope & DualDial Assembly to the Rack & Rail is a breeze. Lift the locking lever inside the DualDial and place the scope on the assembly rack.

Be sure the guide pins line up in the proper tracks, and slide the Scope & DualDial Assembly until it clears the spring-loaded latch. You will hear an audible click when you clear it.

You can now use the DualDial and feel its friction-free action as you work the scope up and down the rack. It's scary smooth, and the Locking Lever ensures exact and absolute lockdown.

UltraView provides mounting options for standard Side Mount, PM, and a Bridge-Lock option for Mathews goers. Again, I opted for the PM, and a single set screw secures the sight to the front of the riser.

The Windage Lock is located inside the DualDial. I love having immediate access to my elevation and windage in one place. To operate the Windage Lock, pull out the knob. After making left/right adjustments, push the knob in, and windage settings are locked in place. Clockwise rotation moves the scope to the right, and counterclockwise rotation moves the scope to the left.

The sight comes complete with first-, second-, and third-axis settings. I discovered my first and second-axis settings were spot on out of the box, and though my third-axis needed tweaking, all that's required is loosening and turning the labeled third-axis screw.

Another win with this sight is its QuickBreak. This allows you to remove your Scope & DualDial from the rack to add another scope style or store your housing for transport. All that's required is a lift of the Locking Lever and a press and hold of the small silver latch at the rack's bottom.

It's important to note that the sight has the most extensive — not complicated but extensive — sight-in process I've experienced. However, (another spoiler alert), my sight tape choice was exact once finished, which is a rarity. After completing the sight-in process and selecting my tape, my first shot was from 100 yards. The Easton arrow tipped with a Practice-Lock mode SEVR 1.5 hammered the 10-ring of my Rinehart 3-D target.

To experience the same sight-in perfection, sight-in at 20 yards using the middle (yellow) scope pin, which will eventually be your 30-yard pin.

Once you smash dots at 20 with your 30-yard pin, remove the Set sight tape from the included (there are many) sight tapes and stick it to the outside of the rack after running some rubbing alcohol over the metal.

You will see a flat surface and a black calibration indicator. Set your 20-yard mark in line with the calibration indicator.

Now step back and sight in at 60 yards. Again, this process should take time, and you should confirm your 60-yard mark multiple times over several days.

When shooting at 60 yards, you must use the same (yellow 30-yard) pin. If you don't, the process won't work.

When satisfied with your 60-yard groups, read the number on the sight tape corresponding to the calibration indicator.

Now, loosen the most forward set screw (silver) on the left side of the scope housing. Next, reach into the housing from the front and push the horizontal 3-pin cartridge out the back of the sight.

Don't worry. You don't have to be too aggressive — the cartridge slides in and out relatively easily.

Set your housing (pins facing up so you can see them) on the sight tape number that correlates to your final sight-in. Align your 40-yard and then your 20-yard pin with the sight tape marks. The sight allows individual pin movement and an Allen wrench is included. However, don't move your 30-yard pin.

Now install your sight tape inside the Rack & Rail, opposite where you installed your Set tape. While still sighted in at 60 yards, align your 30-yard (middle, yellow) pin with the 60-yard mark on your tape. Next, unlock the sight and slide your top green indicator needle to the tape's 20-yard mark, and individually adjust your 30- and 40-yard pins to match the tape.

Note: You will notice a bottom Bonus Pin. This pin was not engineered to be sighted in with the tape. This pin is for long-range shooting fun, and much like rifle shooters do, you can create a dope card and give this pin some long-range settings.

This bow sight is slop-free, and all settings are advanced and exact. Though pin brightness is not exceptional, especially in low light, I had no trouble smashing my intended targets from close and far ranges.

For those who live in states where sight lights are legal when hunting, the UV3XL SE scope showcases one of the most advanced light systems I've tested. To turn on the UV3XL SE light, press and release the button (gold) above the UV icon. Use the Power & Light Level (forward of the UV label), Dim Light (left side), and Brighten Light (right side) to make lighting adjustments. The sight also comes with extra batteries.

Final Thoughts

Which sight is better? That's like debating whether Jordan, LeBron, or Kobe was the best basketball player ever. No one will ever agree. They were all amazing, and these sights are the same. No matter which one you choose, they will meet and exceed your expectations and help make your bowhunting dreams a reality.

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